[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 13 (Monday, January 28, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H468-H470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING THE WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEER FOOTBALL TEAM FOR
WINNING THE 2008 TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL
Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 938) commending the West Virginia University
Mountaineer football team for exemplifying the pride, determination,
and spirit of the Mountain State and overcoming adversity with skill,
commitment, and teamwork to win the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 938
Whereas the West Virginia University Mountaineer football
team won the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, defeating the
University of Oklahoma Sooners by a score of 48 to 28 in
Glendale, Arizona, on January 2, 2008;
Whereas the Mountaineer football team has been a source of
great pride for West Virginians throughout the years;
Whereas the people of West Virginia take their team's
triumphs and setbacks as their own, in times of hardship and
prosperity;
Whereas the Mountaineers displayed uncommon intensity and
determination in preparing for the challenge of meeting one
of the best teams in the country in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl;
Whereas the Mountaineers executed an almost flawless game;
Whereas then-assistant coach Bill Stewart demonstrated true
leadership and coaching
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skill by filling an unexpected coaching void, instilling
confidence in his team, and leading them to victory, earning
the admiration and gratitude of his fellow West Virginians;
Whereas the Fiesta Bowl Most Valuable Player on offense,
Mountaineer quarterback Pat White, gave a brilliant running
and passing performance that inspired his teammates,
delighted his fans, and frustrated his opponents;
Whereas the Fiesta Bowl Most Valuable Player on defense,
Mountaineer linebacker and native West Virginian Reed
Williams, led his teammates in an outstanding defensive
performance;
Whereas Mountaineer senior fullback Owen Schmitt, through
his steady play and gracious post-game words of victory,
displayed the best qualities of team play and sportsmanship;
Whereas Mountaineer receiver Tito Gonzales demonstrated
outstanding play with a 79-yard touchdown pass and showed a
national television audience how important Mountaineer
success was to his team and his State;
Whereas Mountaineer freshman tailback Noel Devine gave a
spirited and skillful performance worthy of his injured
teammate and mentor, record-breaking tailback Steve Slaton;
Whereas the Mountaineers' offensive line dominated the
battle in the trenches, making possible the outstanding
performances of White, Devine, Schmitt, receiver Darius
Reynaud, kicker Pat McAfee, and the other offensive stars of
the day;
Whereas the Mountaineers' attacking defense forced the
Sooner offense to yield the field time and again;
Whereas the Mountaineers finished among the top 10 in
college football rankings for 3 years in a row;
Whereas Mountaineer athletic director Ed Pastilong has
instilled in the athletic department of West Virginia
University the highest standards of ethics and performance
throughout his many years of leadership; and
Whereas the Mountaineers and their new head coach Bill
Stewart have brought great honor to themselves, their
university, and the State of West Virginia: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) congratulates the West Virginia University Mountaineer
football team for winning the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl; and
(2) commends the team for demonstrating throughout the
season the best qualities of teamwork, dedication, and
sportsmanship.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr.
Boustany) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
General Leave
Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which
Members may insert material relevant to H. Res. 938 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. ALTMIRE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. ALTMIRE. Today I rise to congratulate the West Virginia
University Mountaineers for their amazing win in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl.
Four short weeks ago, West Virginia University captured its third
consecutive bowl victory and cemented their third consecutive top 10
finish. They defeated the University of Oklahoma Sooners 48-28. College
football fans throughout the Nation were treated to an exceptional
college football game.
I want to extend my congratulations to West Virginia head coach Bill
Stewart, athletic director Ed Pastilong, West Virginia University
president Mike Garrison, and West Virginia's student athletes for
winning the Fiesta Bowl.
I also want to extend my congratulations to the Oklahoma Sooners and
their student athletes for a great season. Oklahoma won the Big 12
championship game and had an 11-2 regular season record.
The WVU Mountaineers were pregame underdogs against No. 3 ranked
Oklahoma, whose defense had previously allowed only 92 yards a game.
The exceptional play of Mountaineer quarterback Pat White, the Fiesta
Bowl offensive MVP, helped the Mountaineers produce 525 yards of total
offense. Reed Williams, the Mountaineer linebacker and Fiesta Bowl
defensive MVP, helped his teammates hold the Sooners to only six points
in the first half and a total of 28 points for the game.
Mr. Speaker, once again I congratulate the West Virginia Mountaineers
for their success.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of House Resolution 938, commending the West
Virginia University Mountaineer football team for exemplifying the
pride, determination, and spirit of the Mountain State and overcoming
adversity with skill, commitment, and teamwork to win the 2008 Tostitos
Fiesta Bowl.
Throughout the years, the Mountaineer football team has been a source
of great pride for West Virginians, and this past year proved no
different. On January 2, 2008, the West Virginia University Mountaineer
football team won the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, defeating the University of
Oklahoma Sooners by a score of 48-28 in Glendale, Arizona.
After what could have been a team demoralizing loss of head coach
Rich Rodriguez, then assistant coach Bill Stewart stepped up to
demonstrate true leadership and coaching skill by instilling confidence
in his team and leading them to victory, earning the admiration and
gratitude of his fellow West Virginians.
Mountaineer quarterback Pat White gave a dazzling running and passing
performance that inspired his teammates, delighted WVU fans, frustrated
his opponents, and earned him offensive MVP honors. Defensive honors
went to Mountaineer linebacker and native West Virginian Reed Williams,
who led his team in an outstanding defensive performance.
With the conclusion of an impressive 11-2 season, the Mountaineers
finished among the top 10 in college football rankings for a third
consecutive year, and with their new head coach Bill Stewart, brought
great honor to themselves, their university, and the State of West
Virginia.
High marks should also be given to athletic director Ed Pastilong,
who, over his 19-year career, has instilled the athletic department of
West Virginia University with the highest standards of ethics and
performance. We should also recognize WVU president Mike Garrison for
his leadership. WVU is committed to changing lives and providing
opportunities to all through education, building knowledge through
research, and serving the people of West Virginia through economic
development and health care.
I extend my congratulations to head coach Bill Stewart and all the
hardworking players, the fans, and to West Virginia University. I'm
happy to join my good friend and colleague Representative Mollohan in
honoring this exceptional team and all of its accomplishments and wish
all involved continued success. And I ask my colleagues to support this
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, we have a colleague who represents
Morgantown, West Virginia, with us, Mr. Mollohan, and I know there is
no greater fan of the West Virginia Mountaineers than he. I am sure he
is justifiably proud; so I will yield him such time as he may consume.
Mr. MOLLOHAN. I want to thank both my colleagues for their very kind,
gracious remarks about West Virginia University and the game that we
speak of today, particularly the Fiesta Bowl game.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 938, congratulating
the West Virginia University Mountaineer football team for its recent
outstanding Fiesta Bowl victory.
The Mountaineers' regular season closed with an unexpected and a bit
demoralizing loss that ended the team's bid for a national
championship. As a further complication, as has been pointed out by my
colleagues, the team began preparation for the Fiesta Bowl without its
head coach, who left suddenly for another opportunity. WVU consequently
was branded the underdog for the Fiesta Bowl appearance.
But these young men and the able interim head coach, who is now the
permanent head coach, who stepped into the void were steady, they were
confident, and they were prepared to pursue a game plan unaffected by
the swirling controversies and the many media pundits who predicted
defeat.
{time} 1515
Mr. Speaker, seeing that team demonstrate grit, skill, and
determination,
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as described by my colleagues, to silence its critics, while overcoming
challenges, reminds us of the potential for accomplishment that resides
in us all. I hope all of my colleagues will join me in supporting H.
Res. 938, as it offers a ``well done'' to a team that set a high bar
for accomplishment, focus, and determination.
Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may
consume to my colleague, the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs.
Capito).
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the gentleman for
yielding me time. I would like to thank my colleague from West Virginia
(Mr. Mollohan) for offering this resolution and including me as one of
the cosponsors.
We are very prideful Mountaineers. As we have heard, our West
Virginia Mountaineers football team is something that everyone in the
State takes great pride. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl win was not only an
athletic win, but it was a morale-lifting win for everybody in the
State of West Virginia. The Oklahoma Sooners are a powerful team, and I
congratulate them for their effort. But when mind and body of a
Mountaineer gets together, there's hardly any stopping us. I think that
is what we found at the game. The team always tries to embody the
spirit of the Mountain State, and it is a shining light for the people
of West Virginia. The fans, the coaches, the university, the president,
the athletic director, and I have to mention the pride of West
Virginia, our Mountaineers marching band, are something that I know
took our teammates into a very difficult athletic and emotional
situation at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
I also want to congratulate the MVPs, Pat White and Reed Williams.
Reed Williams is a native West Virginian. He's from Moorefield, West
Virginia. He was valedictorian of his high school class. He is the true
embodiment of a student athlete.
We have a saying in West Virginia that we like to say whenever we
have a great victory, and that is, as we say in West Virginia, ``It's a
great day to be a Mountaineer.'' It certainly was on the day that West
Virginia won the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Arizona.
Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, just to tie this whole thing together, we
have just celebrated the LSU Tigers' national championship and West
Virginia's championship in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. As a Member from
western Pennsylvania, I would like to take a brief moment and remind my
colleagues of the role the University of Pittsburgh played in this
whole scenario, because were it not for the improbable upset that the
University of Pittsburgh was able to pull off on the last game of the
regular season, we may have been doing these in a little bit different
order than we were today. So I congratulate West Virginia and LSU. But
I did want to put in that plug as well.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 938, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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